Seating Die Mark on Bullets

[Rocketmandb]

I'm working up some loads on my new 6mm BRA. I had been working with Berger 6mm 105 VLDs and everything was as expected. I got in some 6mm 105 hybrids, and I found that when I seated them, I got a minute ring around the bullets where the seating die pushed them in.

Notes:

- I would expect to see marks like this with high neck tension, but the neck tension is actually very low at about .001.
- The VLDs show no marks at all.
- The ring can be felt when running my fingernail across it.
- The seating force is very small, and no force is being applied after the bullet is seated.
- Seating die is from Whidden

Any ideas as to why this ring is showing only on the Hybrids and not the VLDs? Sending this same message to Berger to see if they have any input.

 

[antithesis]

I am going to pass on the fix, but I do think your question should go Whidden and not Berger. I use L.E. Wilson seaters. They sell both a VLD and Standard stem. I use the VLD with 6.5 Hybrids and the Standard on 6mm Hybrids. No marks on either.

 

[Pilotscrappy]

Is the die brand new? I noticed on my Forester seater it left rings on my bullets (also low neck tension) for about 300 rounds or so, then it started to slowly go away and now they are non existent.

You could always chuck one of those bullets in a drill and lightly polish inside of the seating stem. Needs to be done carefully tho as doing so can lead to bigger problems than just a ring on the bullet

 

[Rocketmandb]

I am going to pass on the fix, but I do think your question should go Whidden and not Berger. I use L.E. Wilson seaters. They sell both a VLD and Standard stem. I use the VLD with 6.5 Hybrids and the Standard on 6mm Hybrids. No marks on either.

I just sent the question to Whidden as well. Thanks.

 

[TheOfficeT-Rex]

It's poor seating stem to bullet fit. Pull the seating stem out of the die, and see how it sits on the different bullets. You don't want a lot of wobble.

Whidden makes custom stems to fit different bullets, if you send them a bullet (and pay for it). They even stock the common ones on their website. They make both a 105 hybrid and 105 VLD, availible HERE.

EDIT: the whidden website says the default 6mm stem is for 105 VLD, which is probably why you didnt get any marks before now.

 

[Rocketmandb]

It's poor seating stem to bullet fit. Pull the seating stem out of the die, and see how it sits on the different bullets. You don't want a lot of wobble.

Whidden makes custom stems to fit different bullets, if you send them a bullet (and pay for it). They even stock the common ones on their website. They make both a 105 hybrid and 105 VLD, availible HERE.

EDIT: the whidden website says the default 6mm stem is for 105 VLD, which is probably why you didnt get any marks before now.

Thanks - I was looking on their site to try and find different stems, but couldn't find the page. Going to order a new stem.